Pressure compensation for packing



Feb. 23, 1937.

O. D. H. BENTLEY PRESSURE COMPENSATION FOR PACKING Filednec. 1935 2' sheets-sheet 1 o. D. H. BENTLEY PRESSURE coMPENsATIIoN FOR PAQKING Feb. 23, 1937.

Filed Dec.- '7; 1955 y 2 Sheetfs-Sheet 2 Zwaar/1Km OL/vE D/ BENTLEY- y d/rn'eg Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE 2,071,919 PRESSURE COMPENSATION POR PACKING Oliver D. H. Bentley, Norfolk, Mass., assignor to B. F. Stnrtevant Company, Inc., Boston, Mass.

Application December 7, 1935, Serial No. 53,370 7 claims. (01.236420.)

This invention relates to packings for the sealing in ofhigh pressure fluids and relates vmore particularly to packings 'for the prevention of steam leakage. f

In steam turbines, for example, where extremely high steam pressures are utilized, the packing around the rotating shaft is itself exposed to the steam pressurev which not only acts along it in a direction longitudinally ofthe shaft but acts upon it radially towards the shaft, forcing it with unnecessary pressure against the rotating shaft.

According to this invention, there is provided a pressure compensation for packings,which opposes the radial pressure of the steam. In one l5 embodiment of the invention, the packingA is 'in the form of divided rings, and diaphragms having a total area slightly less than the projected area of the outer portionsof the rings exposed to the pressure of the steam, are arranged within the turbine case with steam acting On their under sides and so connected to the packing that the steam acting on the diaphragms causes them to tend to move the packing outwardly from against the shaft, thus opposing the radial pressure exerted on it by thev steam.4

An object of theinvention is to reduce the radial pressure by high pressure fluid upon packings.

Another Object of the invention is to relieve the pressure of a packing against the rotating shaft of a steam turbine by providing means effected by the steam `for opposing its action upon the packing.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings of which:

Fig. 1 is a side sectional View of a packing arrangement according to this invention taken along the unes l-l of Fig. 2.;

Fig. 2 is an end section taken along the lines 2--2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an exploded view in perspective of the packing rings and pressure relief lever according Y 15 to this invention.

The packing utilized is the carbon type utilizing two part and four part rings. 'I'he four part ring seals the shaft and cover and the two part ring seals the four part ring as will now be described. The two part ring 5 and the four part ring l are shown more clearly by Fig. 3 of the drawings. The four part ring indicated generally by the numeral 6 is made up of the two large 5 segments 6a and the two small segments 6b;

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the rings 5 and 6 are held in place around the rotary shaft I6 by means of the two garter springs 1, one for each ring. The ends of the springs 'I are connected to the members 8, which iit into the slots 9 in the 5 rings. To oppose rotation of the rings, the pin I0 is tapped into the cover plate I I and ts into the channel formed within the member 8. The

` 'seal springs I2 are under compression between the cover plate II and the ring 5 and force the ring 5 10 against the ring 6, and the ring 6 against vthe gasket I3.

The four part ring 6 seals the shaft I6 and cover II, this being accomplished by the two smaller segments 6br which seal the clearance 15 between the ends of the two larger segments 6a. 'Ihis clearance is provided to allow the segments 6c to ride down on the shaft when they wear. The two part ring 5 fits tightly against the four part ring under the force of the springs I2 and 20 seals the ring 6.

In operation steam passes through the opening I8 around the shaft I6 into the packing chamber I9 and due to substantial area of the rings exposed to the steam pressure, there is a consider- 25 ablel pressure exerted by the steam upon vthe rings forcing them against the shaft. 'I'his pressure is opposed by the mechanism which will now be described.

'I'he twodiaphragms 20 are mounted, one above and one below the rings as illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2, with their inner sides exposed to the pressure of the steam within the chamber I9. Each of the diaphragms is clamped between the gaskets 2l by the cover I'I and the seat 23 forced 35 by a flange in the cover plate II. The covers I'I are forced against theouter gaskets 2| by the bolts 22 threaded into tapped openings in the plates II.

The tong or hook members I4 are attached to the diaphragm 20 by means of the bolts 24 which extend through the centers of the members I4 and the diaphragms. The extensions 25 on the members I4 lit closely into the slots 26 in the rings 5 and 6. The slots 21 between the exten- 45 sions 25 are for spanning the springs 1.

In operation the steam pressure against the inner sides of the diaphragm 20 tends to cause outward movement of the diaphragm and to cause the members I4 to move the rings away 50 from the shaft. 'I'he steam pressure at the same time on the outer surfaces of the rings tends to force the rings against the shaft. If the diaphragms have the same area .exposed to steam pressure as the rings have, no movement of the rings towards or away from the shaft will take place. The effective area of the diaphragms may be made slightly less than that of the projected area of the outer surfaces of the rings exposed to steam pressure so that the steam Will exert a slight inward pressure upon the rings, or the proportions may be so chosen that the inward and outer pressures are equal so that there is a balanced condition.

Whereas one embodiment of the invention has been described for the purpose of illustration, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the arrangement described, as many departures will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, after having hadaccess to this disclosure.

What is claimed is:

1. A packing assembly comprising in combination, a rotary shaft, a packing ring around .said shaft exposed to fluid pressure acting to press saidfring againstsaid shaft,-a' diaphragm also exposed to the action `of said, fluid pressure sfor opposing'said action of Vsaidluid pressure,;and means'connecting :said ,diaphragm and Saidring.

I2. A packing assembly comprisingY inv combination, ia rotary'` shaft, `a `packing ring around lsaid shaft AAexposed to-fluid pressure acting to press said ring against :said shaft, means forming a surface spaced'from saidring, also exposed tothe action of saidfluid pressure but actingito move `said ring from against said shaft, 'and means connecting said surface and said ring.

3. `A packing:assemblycomprising inwcombinationfa rotaryshaft, a packing rring around said shaft and exposed toi-luid pressure acting to press said ring against lsaid shaft, said ringbeing `divided into a plurality of segments, means-,forming; a plurality of surfaces spaced from said ring,

also exposed to saidfluid pressure acting on each offsaid ysegments for opposing said action qfsaid fluid pressure, and means connecting each of said segments `With one of said surface,

4. A'packi-ng assembly comprising in combina- -tion,a rotary shaft, a packing ring around'said shaft `Vand exposed to fluid pressure actingto presssaid ring against said shaft, and ring being divided into aplurality of segments, aplurality -said chamber, means forming a surface Within said chamber spaced from said packing utilizing th'e steam therein, opposing the tendency of the steam pressure on said packing to pressV said packing against said shaft, and means connecting said surface and said packing.

v6. A packing. assembly comprising in combination, a packing chamber, a rotary shaft extending through said chamber, an opening around said shaftadmittingxsteam into'one 4end'ofsaid chamberfaround saidshaftepackingringsaround said shaft j in said chamber for ,preventingthe/escape of steam around said shaft at thek other end vof saidychamber, f a plurality of diaphragms Within said g chamber exposedtoV the, steam therein, opposing the ,ten,dency of the -steam pressure on said ypacking rings to `,press vsai-d packing rings against lsaid shaft, a nd means connecting said diaphragms and Saidrings 7; packing -assemblycomprising in combination, A a packing chamber, a. rotary shaft extending through fs aid -A chamber, fan `,opening around said shaft'admittingfsteaminto onefendof s aid chamber l'around said shaft, Vpacking-,having `a plurality of segments aroi-indsaid ,shaft in said chamber for preventing `the y escape ,of steam 'around said shaft at theother vend of said chamber, a plurality ofr diaphragms one for each of said segmentsf` Within said ,chamber exposed to the -steam therein, opposing the'tendency` ofthe. 

